Recognition has changed. Today’s employees want real connection, not just ceremony. Employees know when recognition feels timely, authentic, and relevant to their everyday work. The challenge for HR leaders, now, is finding technology that supports that kind of culture.
Both Applauz and O.C. Tanner promise to strengthen appreciation inside organizations. But while O.C. Tanner built its reputation on traditional service awards and symbolic programs, Applauz represents a new generation of recognition software — one that brings together appreciation, feedback, and culture analytics in a single, easy-to-use platform.
If you’re deciding between a legacy provider and a modern engagement ecosystem, here’s how the two stack up.
A Quick Overview
Applauz: Continuous engagement for modern teams
Applauz was created for organizations that believe recognition should be a living, daily part of culture — not a once-a-year event.
The platform combines peer-to-peer appreciation, automated milestones, pulse surveys, goal tracking, and a global rewards marketplace of more than 30,000 items. Its dual-currency system (points for tangible rewards, badges for value-based recognition) helps companies motivate performance without inflating budgets.
Recognition is only part of what’s possible with Applauz. Applauz engagement tools include pulse surveys and analytics that reveal how recognition impacts engagement, retention, and morale — allowing HR teams to act on real data, not assumptions. Implementing the system takes days, not months, and is an accessible option with pricing that starts at $3 USD per license/month.
O.C. Tanner: Enterprise recognition with a traditional focus
For decades, O.C. Tanner has focused on large-scale service awards and milestone recognition. Its Culture Cloud platform delivers symbolic gifts, event-driven programs, and consulting services tailored to global enterprises. These initiatives are valuable but formal — centered on anniversaries or top-down recognition moments.
While O.C. Tanner’s offerings suit complex, multinational organizations, smaller or fast-moving companies may find the programs slower to deploy, harder to customize, and limited in everyday engagement features that truly move the needle.
Feature Showdown
 Applauz
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 O.C. Tanner
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Recognition Model
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Ongoing recognition leveraging peer-to-peer functions, customizable perks, and automated milestone recognition. |
Milestone-based and symbolic award programs. |
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Rewards Experience
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30,000+ global products, instant digital rewards, and custom company perks. |
Redeem points for items from the Culture Cloud Award Store. |
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Engagement Tools
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Customizable pulse surveys, culture analytics, and goal tracking. |
Pulse surveys, segmentation, and analytics. |
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User Experience
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Intuitive social feed and mobile app designed for daily participation and connection. |
Traditional enterprise UI with focus on security and integration. |
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Implementation
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No-code setup that helps companies go live in just a few days. |
Consultancy-led deployment leading to longer timelines. |
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Pricing Transparency
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Pricing is publicly available. Clear license-based pricing with packages starting at $3 USD per month |
Custom quotes, typically enterprise budget level. |
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Customer Support
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Hands-on Hypercare onboarding and proactive success management that goes beyond just technical support. |
Tiered enterprise support with self-serve options. |
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Scalability
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Works for any company size with flexible licensing options. |
Optimized for enterprises with large teams. |
From Milestones to Moments
Years ago, O.C. Tanner helped define the corporate milestone — the formal recognition event tied to years of service or major anniversaries. While still valuable, that model alone struggles to meet modern expectations for frequent, inclusive appreciation.
Applauz flips the script by making recognition an everyday habit. Employees can celebrate each other instantly through a social newsfeed, badges aligned with company values, or in-the-moment recognition via Slack or Microsoft Teams. Automated birthdays and work anniversaries keep the calendar alive without admin effort, ensuring no employee contribution goes unnoticed.
Making Engagement Measurable
With O.C. Tanner, insights into engagement often come through consulting relationships or surveys.
Applauz brings team insights all together into one dashboard. Its pulse survey engine captures real-time sentiment across 12 research-based themes, feeding directly into dashboards that correlate recognition activity with culture scores and eNPS trends.
It’s important that HR teams get actionable metrics showing where participation is thriving — and where intervention is needed. The right platform turns recognition data into a management tool, not just a feel-good metric.
Rewards That Reflect Real Life
Employee expectations for rewards have evolved. They want variety, immediacy, and fairness in redemption value. Applauz delivers all three through a global marketplace covering thousands of brands and categories — electronics, travel, wellness, charity donations, and more. Every point equals real currency (10 = $1 USD), with transparent value and free global shipping.
O.C. Tanner’s catalog allows employees to top up points for higher-value items, though reviews indicate that product availability and delivery timelines can vary.
For companies aiming to keep employees genuinely excited about recognition, Applauz’s modern fulfillment model offers a reliable experience with rewards that motivate.
Ease of Implementation and Adoption
Launching a program with O.C. Tanner typically involves phased enterprise rollout and consulting input — appropriate for global organizations but demanding significant time and coordination.
Applauz was built for simplicity. Admins can configure recognition programs, rewards, and integrations without IT assistance. Many clients even launch within a week. The platform integrates natively with Slack and Teams, ensuring employees engage in peer recognition where they already work. Applauz’s high adoption rates — consistently above 75% across clients — demonstrate that when recognition is frictionless, participation becomes natural.
Customer Support That Feels Like Partnership
Applauz’s Hypercare approach provides dedicated onboarding specialists and responsive ongoing support. Teams receive proactive check-ins, usage reviews, and guidance to keep programs thriving. This, of course, is in addition to the usual technical support and self-serve options you’d expect from any software provider.
O.C. Tanner includes consulting options within its enterprise-level service model, primarily designed for complex, large-scale programs. While many large clients appreciate its expertise, public feedback suggests slower response times and inconsistent communication for smaller accounts.
For growing organizations that value immediacy and hands-on assistance, Applauz’s support model delivers enterprise-level care without long wait times.
Pricing and Accessibility
Applauz maintains a transparent model: starting at $3 USD per license/month (billed annually). Build a platform for what you need — including core modules like recognition, rewards, pulse surveys, goals, integrations, and analytics – and leave the rest. Plus, companies only pay for active licenses, keeping costs predictable and scalable. This way, you can make the most of your budget.
On the contrary, O.C. Tanner’s pricing is available only through custom quotes..
For organizations seeking a recognition platform that can grow alongside them without major financial barriers, Applauz provides clear value and flexibility.
Applauz vs. O.C. Tanner: The Pros & Cons
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Applauz
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O.C. Tanner
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Pros
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Cons
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The Bottom Line
Modern teams expect recognition to be authentic, frequent, and measurable. Applauz delivers on all three — combining meaningful rewards with data-driven insights and a user experience employees actually enjoy.
For HR leaders who want engagement to become a sustained behavior rather than an annual initiative, Applauz offers a practical, scalable path forward. It bridges the gap between recognition and culture, turning appreciation into a continuous driver of motivation and connection.
Applauz embodies what today’s organizations need instead of just formal recognition: a simple, engaging platform that makes daily peer recognition effortless, measurable, and accessible to everyone.
See How It Works — Book a Demo
If your goal is to create a culture where appreciation happens every day — not just on anniversaries — Applauz is the clear choice.